When Ireland entered its first national COVID-19 lockdown on March 27th, 2020, people turned to social media for updates and health information. Alongside the accurate and helpful information from official health organisations such as the HSE, the ECDC, and the CDC, a wave of misleading and false content plagued social media.
This surge of information is referred to as an infodemic, a mix of online information containing both accurate content and misleading false information.
The World Health Organization clearly distinguishes misinformation and disinformation:
- Misinformation is false information shared without intent to mislead, usually by people who believe it is true.
- Disinformation is shared deliberately with the intent to deceive, manipulate, or cause harm to those consuming it.
During the pandemic, both types spread rapidly, but disinformation was especially damaging as people took advantage of the fear and uncertainty surrounding COVID-19 to push false narratives, foster distrust in public health officials, and promote harmful agendas.
Disinformation in Ireland and Beyond
In Ireland, disinformation flourished on platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp. Between February and July 2021, the HSE reported over 800 misleading or false vaccine-related posts on social media. Globally, similar patterns emerged, as false health claims spread faster than official sources could refute them.
Anti-vaccine groups, conspiracy theorists, and politically motivated actors were at the forefront of disinformation campaigns. Their aim was to erode trust in public health advice and promote fear-based narratives to suit their campaigns.
Some of the most harmful disinformation came from high-profile political figures. US President Donald Trump repeatedly downplayed the severity of COVID-19 and promoted unproven therapies and medications. From March to April 2020, he tweeted about unproven therapies 11 times and referenced them 65 times in White House press briefings. These statements were common amongst right-wing political figures in the US during COVID-19. The statements are extremely harmful, placing additional strain on already overwhelmed healthcare systems as people rushed to purchase and use unproven medications and treatments. Along with this spike in demand came an increase in illness and death related to the use of these “recommended” products. Rates of accidental poisoning surged, according to the The American Association of Poison Control Centers, after Trump suggested that ingesting bleach and other household cleaning products might help combat COVID-19. Trump also encouraged the use of anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine to combat COVID-19. His influence was so strong that some doctors began prescribing hydroxychloroquine during the first wave of COVID-19 despite warnings from senior public health officials and a total lack of evidence supporting its effectiveness. A recent study estimates that 16,990 COVID-19 patients died in the US, France, Belgium, Italy, Spain, and Turkey, as a result of consuming this drug. This tragic outcome underscores a harsh reality: when disinformation is spread by powerful public figures, it can have deadly consequences.
The Role of Algorithms and Digital Literacy
Social media algorithms are designed to keep users engaged by showing them content similar to what they have already engaged with. This creates digital echo chambers, where people repeatedly consume false information with little exposure to opposing viewpoints.
Graph 1: Accuracy of tweets made about COVID-19
Source: Ferreira Caceres, 2022
The graph shows the prevalence of false information across Twitter (now X), one of the most popular social media apps. Even if a person would usually be able to distinguish accurate and false information, it became nearly impossible during COVID-19.
This was particularly harmful for older adults, who not only faced a higher risk from COVID-19 itself, but were also more vulnerable to online manipulation. Many lacked the digital literacy needed to critically assess the information they encountered online. Digital literacy—commonly defined as the ability to use information and communication technologies to locate, evaluate, create, and share information—requires both cognitive and technical skills. Without these tools to distinguish between credible and false information, they were more susceptible to manipulation and more likely to make harmful decisions about their health.
Long Term Consequences
The consequences of COVID-related disinformation were – and still are – devastating. False vaccine information has led to widespread hesitancy and, ultimately, the global spread of preventable diseases. This is a global phenomenon, the WHO and UNICEF have reported the biggest decline in the uptake of children's vaccines in 30 years. Because of this, we are now seeing outbreaks of vaccine preventable diseases.
Vaccine Hesitancy
Studies have found that the public's perception of the importance of vaccines for children declined during the COVID-19 pandemic in 52 of 55 countries examined, including Ireland. It is easy to focus on other countries where we see prominent anti-vaccine campaigns rather than seeing how these problems are affecting Ireland. Ireland was previously ranked 31st out of 55 in regard to vaccine hesitancy rates, but after COVID we have raised it to 17th. As time goes on, we will continue to see the impacts of these anti-vaccine disinformation campaigns in Ireland.
Spread of Preventable Diseases
The global uptake of the measles vaccine dropped to 81% in 2021, which was the lowest recorded level since 2008. To put it into perspective, that means that 24.7 million children missed their first measles dose in 2021 and a further 14.7 million did not receive their second dose. Both in Ireland and the US have recently had measles outbreaks. In Ireland, the HSE has said a highly suspect measles case has been notified to the Department of Public Health, HSE West and North West and is being investigated. As of the 6th of April, in the US, there are over 600 confirmed cases of measles across 21 states. Two school-aged children, both unvaccinated and with no underlying health conditions, have died due to measles.
The recent outbreaks have sparked renewed calls for action against health misinformation. Notably, The US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. who has built his political persona around being anti-vax, spreading false health information and supporting Donald Trump, has now publicly endorsed the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine in response to the measles outbreak in the US. While this change in stance is significant, it comes too late for many. The consequences of delayed action and widespread disinformation are becoming increasingly evident. Disinformation had led to parents not vaccinating their children, leaving them vulnerable to preventable disease. As these children fall ill, they not only suffer the direct consequences of infection but also risk spreading illnesses to other children, putting communities at greater risk of infection. This causes a ripple effect: children miss crucial days of school when they fall ill, and parents are forced to take time off work to care for them, often leading to financial strain. At the same time, the healthcare system faces additional pressure, with hospital staff bearing the brunt of increased patient loads. This cycle driven by disinformation, highlights the urgent need to address and counter false disinformation, now more than ever.
Fighting Back
Despite the widespread disinformation, there were some successful efforts to combat the spread. The UK Government and the World Health Organizations partnered to create social media infographics to explain the safety and importance of COVID-19 vaccines. In the US, similar campaigns were run by the CDC, though they are unlikely to continue amid unprecedented levels of hostility from the Trump administration. News organizations also created initiatives to tackle false information. For example, the BBC launched “Stop the Spread”, a global initiative to raise awareness about false information and encourage fact-checking on social media. These campaigns helped raise awareness of the prevalence of false information on social media, aiding in the fight against it.
A major concern highlighted during the pandemic was the widespread lack of health literacy among the global population. Improving health literacy is essential for helping people understand and follow public health recommendations and guidelines. Some countries, such as Singapore, were recognized by the WHO for their effective digital communication efforts during COVID-19. By leveraging digital platforms and marketing techniques—particularly on social media channels like Twitter—they were able to broaden access to accurate information, provide timely clarification, and actively combat disinformation.
Moving Forward
Enhancing health literacy is a shared responsibility that involves governments, healthcare professionals, the media, and the public. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed just how vulnerable our digital world is to the rapid spread of disinformation, revealing the dangerous consequences of misinformation on a global scale. To prevent similar crises in the future, we must make strengthening global health literacy a top priority. This includes not only improving access to accurate information but also promoting digital literacy, implementing better online regulations, and holding accountable those who deliberately spread disinformation. Ensuring this is essential for public health and safety.
Lauren Cotter Lauren Cotter
Lauren is an intern at TASC, working in the health stream with a personal focus on research and solutions for systematic change. She is studying Politics & International Relations and Social Justice at University College Dublin, with a keen interest in foreign policy. She is also involved in the UCD Foundation as a student caller, raising money for scholarships for disadvantaged students.
Share:
![Duggan, Vic]](/assets/img/2017/04/1491994913319631_sq.jpg)